skim

[skim]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR skim ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), skimmed, skim·ming.

to take up or remove (floating matter) from the surface of a liquid, as with a spoon or ladle: to skim the cream from milk.

to clear (liquid) thus: to skim milk.

to move or glide lightly over or along (a surface, as of water): The sailboat skimmed the lake.

to throw in a smooth, gliding path over or near a surface, or so as to bounce or ricochet along a surface: to skim a stone across the lake.

to read, study, consider, treat, etc., in a superficial or cursory manner.

to cover, as a liquid, with a thin film or layer: Ice skimmed the lake at night.

to take the best or most available parts or items from: Bargain hunters skimmed the flea markets early in the morning.

to take (the best or most available parts or items) from something: The real bargains had been skimmed by early shoppers.

Metallurgy. to remove (slag, scum, or dross) from the surface of molten metal.

Slang.

to conceal a portion of (winnings, earnings, etc.) in order to avoid paying income taxes, commissions, or the like on the actual total revenue (sometimes followed by off): The casino skimmed two million a year.
to take, remove, or appropriate for illegal use: to skim information from another's credit card.

verb (used without object), skimmed, skim·ming.

to pass or glide lightly over or near a surface.

to read, study, consider, etc., something in a superficial or cursory way.

to become covered with a thin film or layer.

Slang. to conceal gambling or other profits so as to avoid paying taxes, etc.; practice skimming.

noun

an act or instance of skimming.

something that is skimmed off.

a thin layer or film formed on the surface of something, especially a liquid, as the coagulated protein material formed on boiled milk.

a thin layer, as of mortar.

Slang. the amount taken or concealed by skimming.

skim milk.

Obsolete. scum.

Origin of skim

1375–1425; late Middle English skymen, skemen, variant of scumen to skim; see scum

Related formsun·skimmed, adjective

Synonyms for skim

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR skim ON THESAURUS.COM

5. scan. 12. glance.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for skimmed

shave, glance, graze, skip, skitter, ricochet, dart, carom, scan, browse, ream, ladle, top, separate, scoop, brush, dip, cream, shoot, fly

Examples from the Web for skimmed

Contemporary Examples of skimmed

And I whipped off my straw hat and skimmed it across the room and it sailed right out the window and has never been seen since.
Mel Brooks Is Always Funny and Often Wise in This 1975 Playboy Interview
Alex Belth
February 16, 2014
I had seen the term listed in pregnancy books, but skimmed over it.
Feeding Tubes, NICU, One-on-One Care: Susan Hatfield Talks About Living With Her Trisomy 18 Baby
Susan Hatfield
February 1, 2012
When the Concordia skimmed the rocky reef Friday, lodging a giant boulder into her hull, Schettino made his second mistake.
Francesco Schettino, the Costa Concordia’s Daredevil Captain
Barbie Latza Nadeau
January 18, 2012
Usually a diligent observer, nonetheless Winslow skimmed over the episode in two sentences.
The Real Story Behind Thanksgiving
Nick Bunker
November 24, 2010
It is then boiled down to eliminate moisture and skimmed to get rid of the green juice.
Pancakes' New Topper
Stacey Slate
December 8, 2009

Historical Examples of skimmed

This should be skimmed off as it forms, for it is a detriment to the jelly.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 5
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
"He could have lived on the skimmed milk we feed to the pigs," thought Martin.
Dust
Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius
And yet you have only skimmed the beautiful river's surface as a swallow skims a lake.
The Underdog
F. Hopkinson Smith
The cream was skimmed off, and only very thin milk was left in the dish.
Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates
Howard Pyle
When you have boiled and skimmed it, pour it over the lemons and cover them.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie

British Dictionary definitions for skimmed

skim

verb skims, skimming or skimmed

(tr) to remove floating material from the surface of (a liquid), as with a spoonto skim milk

to glide smoothly or lightly over (a surface)

(tr) to throw (something) in a path over a surface, so as to bounce or ricochetto skim stones over water

(when intr, usually foll by through) to read (a book) in a superficial or cursory manner

to cover (a liquid) with a thin layer or (of liquid) to become coated in this way, as with ice, scum, etc

noun

the act or process of skimming

material skimmed off a liquid, esp off milk

the liquid left after skimming

any thin layer covering a surface

Word Origin for skim

C15 skimmen, probably from scumen to skim; see scum

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for skimmed

skim

early 15c. (skimmer, the utensil, is attested from late 14c.), "to clear (a liquid) from matter floating on the surface, lift the scum from," from Old French escumer "remove scum," from escume (Modern French écume) "scum," from a Germanic source (cf. Old High German scum "scum," German Schaum; see scum). Meaning "to throw (a stone) so as to skip across the surface of (water) is from 1610s. Meaning "to move lightly and rapidly over the surface of" is from 1650s, from the motion involved in skimming liquid; that of "to glance over carelessly" (in reference to printed matter) recorded by 1799. Related: Skimmed; skimming.